The original host, Chu Yueguan, was the most pampered Grand Princess of the Chu Kingdom.
This continent originally had the Chu and Wei states. The day the original host's father personally led troops on a campaign and unified the two countries was the original host's birthday.
The Grand Princess's mansion began construction the moment she was born. The Emperor sent all good things to her mansion. Only after she came of age and was about to marry was she allowed to move out of the palace.
From childhood, the original host admired Zhao Guanjin. The Emperor, doting on her, allowed Zhao Guanjin to participate in court affairs. His trip to quell disasters and rebellions in Liuzhou was also an opportunity given by the Emperor.
In the previous life, Zhao Guanjin returned with Wei Qianrui. Everyone saw that something was amiss. The Emperor wanted to punish the original host, but Zhao Guanjin stopped him and pleaded for him.
Zhao Guanjin eventually entered the Princess's mansion to become the consort. Wei Qianrui disguised herself as a maid and followed him into the mansion.
Her pregnancy could not be hidden. Zhao Guanjin pretended to be drunk when he had relations with her. She knelt before the original host, begging to die.
The original host, pitying her for losing her purity and the difficulty of remarrying, agreed to let her become a concubine. The original host had no idea that Wei Qianrui was already carrying her husband's child.
Zhao Guanjin used the original host to climb step by step. The original host was sometimes clear-headed, sometimes confused.
She was like a puppet doll, going wherever others directed her, with no say in her own actions.
Wei Qianrui was an orphan of the Wei royal family. A small group of loyal Wei forces found her, saying they wanted to kill the Emperor to avenge their destroyed nation.
Wei Qianrui told Zhao Guanjin about this, and Zhao Guanjin was heartbroken. His Qianrui was clearly a pearl of a nation, and could have lived a life of high status and prosperity.
It was only because of the current Emperor's selfish desires that his Qianrui suffered for so many years. The two simple-minded individuals conspired together and prepared to rebel.
The original host discovered the problem and wanted to tell the Emperor. However, every time the words reached her lips, she couldn't speak them. When she picked up a pen, she would forget the characters.
After a period of time, she would even forget the unpleasant memories of the two of them, which drove the original host to despair.
Ultimately, the two simpletons succeeded in their rebellion. The original host's father and brother died tragically. Zhao Guanjin became Emperor, and Wei Qianrui became Empress.
Wei Qianrui kept the original host alive specifically to torment her, as she had long been unable to stand the original host's haughty demeanor.
After the original host's death, Zhao Guanjin began to miss her, gradually distancing himself from Wei Qianrui. He claimed the original host was his true love, but this did not stop him from taking other young concubines.
Only after her death did the original host find release from her confinement. Her life's trajectory had all been orchestrated by others.
She lived in a book, but she was not an unfeeling paper doll. Her father was a wise and benevolent ruler, and should not have died from diminished intellect, but instead been remembered through the ages.
She refused to follow the path laid out for her. She wanted to protect her innocent relatives who were brutally murdered and ensure Zhao Guanjin and his ilk received the punishment they deserved under the feudal system.
Shui Wa said, "Her wishes are quite simple. By the way, Host, you're talking a lot today, you're quite arrogant."
"If I'm not arrogant with this identity, it would be a waste of the original host's good karma. Those trash idiotic protagonists. Their mother is too good, is rebelling that easy?"
"..."
The Marquis's wife could not tolerate any blemishes. Even if the marriage with the princess did not work out, her son had to marry a presentable young lady.
It certainly would not be Wei Qianrui, who had a sullied reputation. Her trusted嬷嬷 (māma, wet nurse/confidante) personally brewed a bowl of abortifacient and sent it to Wei Qianrui.
"Don't come near me, I won't drink, I won't drink. I want to see the Young Master, hurry and let me pass."
"That is no longer up to you."
Two young maids held down the struggling Wei Qianrui. Song嬷嬷 grabbed her face, forcing her mouth open.
Without regard for whether the medicine was too hot, she poured it into her mouth. Despair filled Wei Qianrui's eyes as the bitter medicine slid down her throat and into her stomach.
After administering the medicine, she left the two maids to guard Wei Qianrui and returned to report to the Marquis's wife.
"My Lady, rest assured, the medicine is effective immediately."
"Alas, Jin'er will likely be distant from me when he returns. I see he has deep affection for that wench."
"The Young Master will eventually understand. Everything Madam has done is for the Young Master's own good."
Wei Qianrui clutched her stomach, writhing in excruciating pain. She dared not move, praying to heaven to spare her child's life.
Her face was pale, her hair matted with sweat. She looked like a vengeful spirit come to collect a debt. She screamed for a full half hour before her cries subsided.
The maids guarding outside checked on her once the commotion quieted. Seeing no blood beneath her, they quickly went to report to the Marquis's wife.
"Madam, the young lady's fetus has shown no signs of movement yet."
"How is this possible?"
The Marquis's wife looked at Song嬷嬷 in confusion, who was also baffled.
"Madam, perhaps this pregnancy is too stable, and the medicine was not strong enough. This old servant will brew another dose."
The Marquis's wife waved them away irritably. Following the same procedure, Wei Qianrui endured agonizing pain, yet her stomach remained undisturbed.
"Madam, this old servant has never seen such a strange occurrence. Could it be that this pregnancy cannot be terminated?"
"Hmph, if I say it can be terminated, it can be terminated. No one can protect it if I don't want them to."
The Marquis's wife angrily rushed to Wei Qianrui's room, bringing along an old physician from the mansion.
Where were all these strange superstitions coming from? Either the wench had a peculiar constitution, or she wasn't pregnant at all.
If it was the latter, then all would be well. If it was the former, no matter how special, she would not escape her methods.
The old physician carefully took her pulse. "Reporting to Madam, this young lady is indeed pregnant. The pregnancy is not advanced, and by rights, it should be easily terminated. This is truly strange."
Wei Qianrui spoke weakly, "Madam, I beg you to spare the child in my belly! He is the Young Master's bloodline. Look how strong he is. He wishes to come into this world and see the people he loves most."
"Hmph, you are quite eloquent. No wonder you were able to trick Jin'er into committing such a grave error. With a shameless mother like you, he would only be mocked if he lived. Don't you understand? Rather than live a life of humiliation, it would be better not to be born at all."
"How can that be? He is the Young Master's child."
The Marquis's wife did not want to waste any more words with her. She dismissed the doctor, and four maids came to hold Wei Qianrui down. She lay there openly on the floor.
"No, what are you doing? Let me go! Madam, aren't you afraid the Young Master will blame you?"
"Threatening me with Jin'er? You are not qualified. He is merely playing with you out of momentary novelty. There are plenty of women, but he only has one mother – me. Song嬷嬷, proceed."
"Yes."
Song嬷嬷 took a rolling pin and crouched beside Wei Qianrui, placing it on her abdomen and vigorously rolling it back and forth.
"It hurts so much, no, no! Stop, please! The Young Master won't let you off when he returns!"
"This old servant does not require the young lady's concern."
The Marquis's wife watched coldly from the side, determined to see how long this unholy offspring could endure.
Marquis Wu'an and Zhao Guanjin knelt outside the palace gates for two hours. Just as the palace gates were about to close, the Emperor finally summoned them in.
Zhao Guanjin fainted several times while kneeling. Fortunately, there were doctors standing by. Now, he gritted his teeth, and every step he took felt like it was tearing him apart.